another one of those cat poems

Another, uh, unforgettable selection from The Miscellaneous Poems of Mrs. Hannah Eayrs Barron:

THE PET CAT

Dear Billy is dead, that clever cat,

His troubles now are o'er;

He cannot catch the mice and rats, 

As he has done before.

No more he'll sing his fine duet, 

With Kitty Spot, mee-ow;

No other cats can sing so well,

I think they don't know how.

It was not for want of milk or meat,

That Billy came to die;

But he was sick like other cats,

That was the reason why.

'Twill do no good to call for him,

He wont come back I know;

For he has gone to pussy land, 

Where all good kitties go.

-- You will find this jewel on page 300.

a cat and a hedgehog, 1890

A CAT AND A HEDGEHOG.
SIR,—Have you space for one more cat-story? Many years ago I was living in a house where a hedgehog was kept for the destruction of blackbeetles. I had heard that hedgehogs would eat mice; and one day finding the cat playing with a mouse she had caught, I took it from her and gave it to the hedgehog, who immediately proceeded to devour it. The cat was at first furious, and began to claw at the hedgehog, who, however, only elevated its spines, and quietly went on with its meal, and the cat soon desisted from the attempt to recover her lost prey.
The curious part of the story is what followed. For weeks afterwards, whenever the cat caught a mouse, she went in search of the hedgehog, and did not rest until she found it, and had placed the mouse where the hedgehog could secure it. I cannot say how often this was done, but am sure it was not fewer than half-a-dozen times. Perhaps some of your readers may be able to define the motive which induced these repeated acts of self-denial.—I am, Sir, &c., Joshua Sing.
August 30, 1890.

* * *

From Cat and bird stories from the "Spectator," John St. Loe Strachey, editor (London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1896) p. 27.

vintage photo time: the 30's continued

thank you lily! xox

I'm betting this also is 1933, and that this is Heather and Lily's Grandma Gwen.  That dog has such a funny look on his face - sleepy and proud at the same time.

vintage photo time: the 30's

thank you lily! xox

Lily and her sister Heather are good friends of the family.  When their grandmother passed on a while back, Lily happened to see that  there were a number of fine old pet snaps left among her effects, and very kindly thought of me.  She sent me not one, not two, but 15 terrific scans! This is #2, from 1933, and I believe this is their grandfather.  I will share more of these very special vintage photos this week.

gauguin: the little adventures of "a little cat"

image in public domain, thanks wikipaintings.org

In late1888 Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) spent nine weeks in Arles with Van Gogh.  That period of time has become legend in art history, but this look at A Little Cat actually dates from earlier that year.  He was in Pont-Aven, northern France then; I bet it was a quieter time of that year, with ripe fruit and some sunshine making a fine golden foil for this black kitten.  By the way, this is a perfect example of Gauguin's Cloisonnism, a style in which strong colors are very clearly marked off in areas as you see in cloisonne jewelry.  I've said it before, I have never warmed up to Gauguin as a person (in fact I think he sounds like a bit of a tool).  But I do enjoy his "smaller" paintings like this, where he's only capturing the simple warmth of a moment.  That kitten is going to spring any second.  Good luck on your fruit hunt, cub.

tommy and the chickens, 1884 (hopefully now viewable!)

text and image in public domain

From a children's teaching text mixing lessons in kindness to animals with reading comprehension.
Book of cats and dogs: and other friends for little folks, James Johonnot (New York: American Book, 1884) p. 20.  I love those little crazy winglets on the chicks.

dr. parson marvels at his dog's character, 1700's

When I see the several actions and designs of my Dog, I profess it is impossible to avoid being amazed. His passions are more quiet than those of many men. There are some whose joy or grief at accidents, give them so little emotion, and are so dull, as to render it difficult to say which it is that affects them: but, in this honest animal, both are lively and strong. When any of the family return home, he discovers great gladness in caressing and skipping about them, and seems dull and concerned at their going out. But there is one among them whom he distinguishes in a most peculiar manner. When this person goes abroad, he is void of all comfort, and sits in a window crying incessantly, refusing victuals, and watching for his friend's return; who is always welcomed by much rejoicing and noise. If he wants to go out of the room, he puts his fore feet up against one of the company, and being taken notice of, runs to the door, rising up against it in the same manner, looking at the person he gave notice to before, till he be let out. If he wants to drink, he gives the same notice, and immediately runs into a closet, where stands a bottle of water, continuing to run to and from the person till he be served.

Dr. Parson, on Animals and Vegetables  -- from The general character of the dog: illustrated by a variety of original and interesting anecdotes of that beautiful and useful animal in prose and verse, Joseph Taylor, ed. (London: Darton and Harvey, 1804), p. 13-14.  I think this is the same Dr. Parson referenced (exhaustively!) here.

vintage photo time: found on the road trip

thanks again neat little shop in eureka ca

Here's another installment in the "Great lost photos I found on the 2012 Northern CA Road Trip."  This pair is also from the shop in Eureka whose name I cannot recall.  They are both great, but the second one cracks me up.  Obviously they were trying to get as many pets into the photo as possible, and the cats just weren't having it.  Nope, no sir.

a dog in the light

thank you wikimedia commons {{PD:US}}

Ilya Repin (1844-1930) was famed in his native Russia for the depth of his work.  His subjects were often complex statements of class struggle and ideology, executed in the style of the old European masters. His portraits of the noble and the great among his countrymen are calm and insightful.  And so is this 1894 portrait of a dog (an older springer or Brittany?), presented with all the dignity any duke or prince could wish.  What a fine dog collar this fellow is wearing; it sets off his clean white and warm brown fur.  I wonder who was lucky enough to have him.

there's a new kitten in town

uh oh

Yes, I held off making the formal blog announcement, but it does look as if she's staying.  Meet Kat Von D.  (My seven-year-old nephew named her.)  Kat Von D, two months old at the time, was found on my parents' property three weeks ago after someone apparently drove out to the country and did a kitten dump. She had a sore leg and ear mites.  I'm the cat person in the family so I came to the foster rescue. . .  and . . . she is just too delightful and sweet to go to just anyone, not to mention that her kitteny wiles have won the heart of my spouse.
It's like having a small child.  Things were just perfectly relaxed and chill around here and BAM mew mew mew scamper scamper scamper.  I'm so tired.  But she's wonderful.

a pastor learns from a dog

From a book dated 1902 titled Our Devoted Friend: The Dog 

* * *

Rev. Dr. George Leon Walker, the late able and beloved pastor of my old church in Hartford, Conn., the First or Centre Church, said to his people in May, 1891, in a sermon on Our Humble Associates: "I have been the possessor of the affection of two dogs, as unlike one another, though of the same nominal breed, as any two men. And when I think of the big heart and boundless passionate love which one of those two creatures gave me, I count it one of the great mistakes, yea, sins of my life that I allowed a friend of mine in a great city to take him to keep awhile, when he mourned for me, as I afterward learned, with constant and inconsolable sorrow, and was finally hopelessly lost, I doubt not in unavailing effort to find me again. I hope no one here will smile when I say, solemnly, that the pain of that poor heart has lain upon me for near twenty years a remorse and a burden."

Author: Mrs. Sarah Knowles Bolton, published in Boston by L.C. Page & Company, pages 324-325.  I think I have found a picture of this good Reverend here.

young beatrix and her dog

thanks wikimedia commons {{PD:US}}

Here's one of my heroines, Beatrix Potter, as a girl of 15 with her dog Spot.  A product of a lonely Victorian childhood, Potter grew up to be a tough, unsentimental and thoroughly solid citizen with a constant soft spot for children and pets.  I highly recommend Margaret Lane's biography if you'd like to read up.  And here's a slideshow from the Victoria and Albert Museum on Potter's life in photographs.  No photos of Hunca Munca or Mrs. Tiggywinkle though - what a pity.

happy late world cat day

thanks wikipaintings.org {image in public domain}

Looks like World Cat Day got away from me other than a quick mention on Facebook.  As an appeasement offering to all slighted cats everywhere (including the two in my house that have just come back from the vet),  here is a splendid "Head of a Cat" (1823) by the Polish/Russian Romantic artist Alexander Orlowski.  The original is in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg where I'm sure they enjoy it thoroughly as it deserves.  Here's a bio of Orlowsky if you are interested.

a dog greets the moonrise

copyright ryan fowler/nativevermont, image by kindest permission of artist

A warm night on the water, with the moon and the stars and your dog's wholehearted enjoyment - for those of us in more northern areas, that's a pleasure to be savored in its brief season.  That's why "Moonrise Dock," this piece by Vermont artist Ryan Fowler, caught my eye.  I've always had a fondness for early American portraiture and the way it flattens and distills its forms in order to say precisely what it wants to say.  Fowler's done that here, using simple forms to let you the beholder say a multitude of things to yourself about your own memories, and your own dogs, in the summer.  

You can see more of Fowler's work at his Etsy shop, NativeVermont.  And you should definitely take your dog swimming while you still can.  Go.

"in memory of a cat" 1920

image and text in public domain

"Poem and illustration by Miss Elisabeth Bonsall, made for Miss Clara Comegys."  Found in The National Humane Review, Vol. VIII No. 12 (December 1920), p. 240.  

I wondered if the Egyptian theme here had anything to do with the finding of Tutankhamen's tomb.  That didn't happen till 1922, but the thrill of the archaeological seasons leading up to it must have made itself felt among curious and informed people.  "Pasht" is a variant of the name of the better known cat goddess "Bastet."  

vintage photo time: first from the trip

thank you great little shop whomever you are

Finally, here's one of the vintage photos I picked up on the great Northern California road trip.  This is from a great, laidback antiques shop in Eureka whose name I forgot to get, though I'll know it when I see it again.  I'm not an angler, but when I look at this I think of quiet days on a warm rock, outwitting the wily fish, leggy puppydog right there to help - and it's not even my memory, but it makes me happy.  I hope this guy and his dog had lots of days like this over their years together.

a parrot visits a convent. things go south

. . . I have already mentioned that parrots may be taught to repeat words, or even sentences . . . They will, however, often learn any sounds that they hear frequently, without being taught; and parrots that are hung on the outside of a window in a street, will repeat all the cries that they hear. The story of Vert Vert, which has been turned into verse by a French poet, is a decided proof of this. This parrot had been brought up in a convent, and had learnt to repeat all the services of the church.
 The nuns of a neighbouring convent having heard of this extraordinary bird, sent a petition that it might be allowed to pay them a visit. The request was granted, but unfortunately poor Vert Vert was sent by a common passage-boat; and, on the road, he picked up the oaths and vulgar language of the boatmen and their passengers. With this language he saluted the abbess and her nuns whom he was sent to visit, instead of the hymns and religious sentences they had been led to expect; and the horror of the nuns may be easily imagined.
 Poor Vert Vert was sent back in disgrace to his own convent, where his former friends were obliged to keep him in solitary confinement till he had forgotten all the horrid things he had unfortunately learnt.

-- from Jane Loudon, Domestic Pets: Their Habits and Management (London: Grant and Griffith, 1851), p. 74.  It's true, the story was turned into verse and translated many a time. 

vintage photo time

thanks ampersand!

Still haven't got around to the glorious photos I acquired on the Northern California trip, but I found this one kicking around my purse - I don't think I have shared it yet?  Tell me if I have!